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Davis to stay in Minors until schedule makes right turn

Davis to stay in Minors until schedule makes right turn

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By Anthony DiComo
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MLB.com |

CHICAGO -- At this point, Ike Davis has become more a victim of the schedule than anything.

Though Mets manager Terry Collins admitted Davis was a consideration to rejoin the team when Lucas Duda landed on the disabled list over the weekend, he and general manager Sandy Alderson decided against it because of the run of left-handed starters on their upcoming schedule. White Sox lefties Chris Sale and John Danks did not present strong matchups for the left-handed Davis.

"Obviously, he was talked about when Lucas went down," Collins said of Davis, the reigning Pacific Coast League Player of the Week. "The conversation was, 'Is it time?' And I said, 'From what I've heard, he's made huge progress'. They're very happy with what's going on. But to bring him in to have him face lefty, lefty, lefty, I didn't think it was a really fair time."

Unfortunately for Davis, the schedule does not grow any kinder for left-handed sluggers. The Mets are scheduled to face two more lefties this weekend against the Nationals in Ross Detwiler and Gio Gonzalez. And they are in line to extend that streak to four straight lefties when Wade Miley, Patrick Corbin and the D-backs come to town beginning Monday.

It is an unusual stretch for the Mets, who are scheduled to face six left-handers over their next eight games, prompting Collins to say he has "no idea" when Davis might return.

"When Sandy decides that from all the reports he's getting that he's ready, he'll be back," Collins said.

Even when he was thriving in 2011 and the second half of 2012, Davis struggled against lefties at the big league level. His career OPS is 197 points lower against left-handed pitching, and just 12 of his 63 homers have come against southpaws.

So Davis may have to remain in the Minors at least until July 3, when the Mets will begin facing right-handed pitchers with regularity once more. In the interim, he will need to continue posting the types of power numbers -- a .474 average, .630 on-base percentage and four home runs in six games -- that earned him PCL Player of the Week honors.

"I'm glad, very happy for him," Collins said of the honor. "I want him to be the National League Player of the Week."

Anthony DiComo is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @AnthonyDicomo. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.